Does Persecution = Disagreement? Or does Persecution = Violent Oppression, Intimidation, & Censorship?

Question

Or is there another perspective?

Answer 1

Violent oppression, murder, intimidation, censorship and discrimination to name a few. The way Christians treat homosexuals would be a good example of persecution.

Answer 2

I think some people who were once "Violently oppressed, intimidated, and censored" continue to wine and complain now about every little "disagreement", and label it "persecution". We all should never forget the past, but it's healthy to move on too!!

Answer 3

Good point. Some people here on Yahoo! Answers R&S claim that persecution is anything that does not agree with their point of view. This of course is ridiculous, and only serves some deep seated desire for masochism, and to satisfy their need to claim martyrdom.

It is very hard to believe christians as being persecuted in countries where they are in control of political power.

Answer 4

Persecution is violent oppression, intimidation and censorship. Disagreement is just that. In Islam countries, people who convert to Christianity are killed, beaten and/or expelled from their families. Baptism in water is definitely a turning point, saying to their families that they are choosing God over Allah. It is a high cost for Muslims to convert to Christianity. That is an excellent example of persecution.

Answer 5

Persecution = violent oppresion, intimidation, & censorship.

There is none of that here. People on a highly opinionated anonymous forum being rude to each other is not persecution, it's people being rude.

Answer 6

Worthwhile question here. Of course it's the latter. American Christians who claim to be persecuted need to be hit with a perspective stick, or at least go visit Christians in the Middle East, Darfur and China.

The rest of us in America may sometimes have more of a claim, but we're better off than we would be in most other countries, too, and need to use the rights we have.

Answer 7

History has shown that the persecuted Christians have resorted to violent oppression, intimidation through scare tactics, and censorship of any other way of thinking.

Answer 8

On this site - the former.
In the real world - the latter.

I get so tired of that term getting thrown around as casually as it is here. If those who claim to be persecuted here were to get a taste of what the actual definition of the word is, they would never claim to be that again. At least I hope it would be that much of a wake-up call.

Answer 9

Persecution = Violent Oppression, Intimidation, & Censorship.

I am sick to death of people who think not getting respect or not having special rights is persecution.


Edit: Examples of special rights: Your church saying who other churches can marry. Your church being allowed to violate the 501(c)3 code when other churches can't. The right to not do the job you applied for when you knew what it entailed when you applied for it.

Answer 10

Persecution = an imbalance of power or rights.

If you call de-Christianizing the country "persecution", then you clearly haven't experienced being a non-Christian.